


Dudley

by OfficialStarsandGutters



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-23
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-01-02 09:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1055162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfficialStarsandGutters/pseuds/OfficialStarsandGutters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What is that?”<br/>“He's not a that!”<br/>“Newton.”<br/>“His name is Dudley. Isn't he adorable?”<br/>-<br/>Newt adopts a puppy. Hermann definitely does not like it. At all. Not even a little.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dudley

**Author's Note:**

> For Charlie, who has dragged me onto this ship with her, and who frequently assaults me with her adorable headcanons. I hope I somewhat did them justice.

 

“ _What_ is that?”

“He's not a that!”

“Newton.”

“His name is Dudley. Isn't he adorable?”

Newton bends to scoop the little pug puppy into his arms. It lets out a little yelp and wriggles around in his hold. He grins widely, moving his head in circles along with it, giggling soft and sweet and far more feminine a sound than Hermann would ever have expected from him. Hermann resists the urge to sigh. He resists the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. He has learned to resist a lot of urges while sharing a lab with this idiot.

“Why exactly is it here?”

“He!”

“Where are you going to keep it?”

“He!”

“It can't stay in the lab.”

“ _He!_ And why not? He's only a tiny little puppy.” Newt goes into a babyish voice at this point, turning Dudley in his arms to face him and aiming his speech at the puppy. “Aren't you? Yes you are. Yes you areeeee. You're not going to get in anyone's way. No, no, no.”

“You are unbelievable.”

“And you're a grumpy old spoilsport.”

“It can't stay.”

“He. He is staying.”

*

Hermann does not intend to like the dog. He really does not. It gets in his way, it keeps peeing under the desks, and any time Newt leaves, it sits by the door and whimpers until he comes back. The noisy pining is terribly distracting and there are several occasions when Hermann is tempted to just open the door and let it free into the hallways to fend for itself.

It's during one of these pining sessions, when he's attempting to do equations but having trouble hearing his own thoughts over the annoying whining, that Dudley comes waddling across the floor towards him. The puppy doesn't have a proper awareness of his own body yet, and he stumbles over his paws and bumps into one of the counters, banging his head and emitting a surprised yelp. Hermann frowns down at him disapprovingly.

“Foolish creature.”

He turns to go back to his scribbling when he feels something bump against his leg. Looking down, he finds Dudley sitting at his feet, looking up at him with wide, soft brown, bug eyes. He gives a little whimper in the back of his throat and headbutts Hermann's leg again.

“Go away.”

Another whine and headbutt.

“What do you want?”

A little paw scratching at his trouser leg.

“I don't have anything for you. You'll have to wait for Newton to get back.”

Dudley plops down onto his backside, his stubby little tail wagging furiously. Hermann stares down at him for several moments, at a loss. He is not doing anything. Why is this animal displaying delight when all he has done is spoke to it?

“Strange little thing.”

Dudley answers in his own little yelp-y bark, as if agreeing, before curling up in a little ball against the side of Hermann's shoe. Hermann tries stepping away, but Dudley merely gets up and repositions himself, so eventually he gives in and lets the silly thing nap against him. It's a bit like Newton in its persistence.

*

Hermann waits exactly two minutes after Newton has left the lab. That's enough time to make sure he hasn't forgotten anything and won't come running back in for it. He sets his chalk down and glances towards the door, just to be sure. Dudley is already sitting at his feet, tongue lolling from the side of his mouth and tail thumping against the floor. He is getting bigger now, is in the awkward stage between puppy and dog. He looks up at Hermann with his big, brown eyes. Expectant. Anticipating.

“Oh, come on, then.”

Taking his stick from its resting place against the board, Hermann hobbles over to his desk. Dudley trots along at his side, matching his pace until they're almost at the desk, where he speeds excitedly ahead and puts his front paws up against the wood. He gives a little yip. Hermann smiles and nods.

“Yes, just give me a moment.”

He pokes through his drawer. It is messier than he would like to admit, but still much tidier than Newton's desk. There is a small victory in that. Yes. Beneath pens and chalk and papers he finds what he is looking for; a hidden packet of dog treats. The crinkling of the plastic packaging sets Dudley off. His little paws scrabble against the desk and his head swivels round on his neck. He lets out a series of high yelping barks.

“Here you go.”

Hermann has to steady himself with a hand on the desk as he leans down and offers the treat out. Dudley gives it a curious sniff before he carefully grips it between his little teeth and tugs it out of Hermann's hold. He is always careful with Hermann, unlike with Newton, whose fingers he is constantly nipping at. Treat held firmly in his mouth, he waddles off to his cushion bed by Newton's desk and curls up to chew at it.

Hermann smiles at him for a moment before hiding the treats away again.

*

Herman is sat at his desk reading when he hears a snuffling sound. Dudley is immediately on his feet and alert, making excited little yelping noises and running in circles near Hermann, not wanting to be too far from him until he knows who the intruder is. The door slides open a few inches and Max's head appears through the gap.

“Oh no. One dog in the lab is quite enough, thank you.”

Dudley lets out one of his high barks. He tries to run towards Max, but his paws keep slipping on the floor and for a few seconds he does nothing but slip and slide on the spot. Eventually his claws get a grip and he hurtles across to the other dog, running into his side and bouncing back into a little pile. Max tenses at this sudden contact, a surprised huff of air escaping him. Dudley writhes on his back in puppyish delight.

“Out,” says Hermann. He is, of course, ignored.

Max comes closer to Dudley, nudging at him with his nose. Dudley licks his nose and he goes still again, warily eyeing the smaller dog. Dudley lowers his front legs, butt in the air and tail wagging. He growls playfully, following it with more yips and another lick to the corner of Max's mouth. Max grumbles a bit, but his own stubby tail twitches a few times.

Hermann sighs and runs a hand over his face. He really has to learn to put his foot down.

Newt returns to find the two dogs curled up together on Dudley's cushion, Dudley with his head resting on Max's back. He smiles at the sight, crouching down and whistling. There is more clumsy scrabbling across the floor as Dudley scurries to meet him.

“Hey, little dude! Did you miss me? Yes? I missed you!”

Much cooing ensues, along with nose bumping and ear scratching. Max is a little slower in hauling himself to his feet and padding across the room. Newt tucks Dudley under one of his arms with practised ease and gives Max's head a little rub.

“Have you guys been keeping Hermann company for me, hm?”

“They would not be moved.”

“Aw, you know, for someone who claims not to like them, you certainly have a way with the dogs, don't you? Proper modern day Snow White.”

Hermann does not give Newton the satisfaction of a response. Newt laughs regardless, shifting Dudley to his other arm as he stands up.

“Chuck's been looking for you, boy. Shall we take you back to him? Yeah? Come on, then. And youuu need to go out for a pee, don't you? Oh yesss!” Newt says, attention once more focused on the squirming dog in his arms. He lifts Dudley up and rubs their noses together again, lost to another fit of babyish cooing.

“Good riddance,” Hermann murmurs to himself. He does not see Newt's fond grin across the room at him before he leaves with the dogs.

*

They are both in the lab together, working quietly at their own things. These are their favourite moments, though neither of them would admit it. When there is no bittering or disputes. When everything is quiet and calm and they are both in their own worlds, but at the same time in a joint world within the private bubble of their lab. Newt is slicing away at one of his kaiju parts again and Hermann is carefully copying notes into one of his journals, trying to ignore the thick, metallic scent that is coming from the piece of flesh laid before Newt. Dudley is gnawing on a chew toy and growling softly to himself on his cushion.

They don't hear Stacker when he first enters, but Dudley goes yip-yapping and rushing across the floor to him, and that causes them to raise their heads. He frowns at the dog before shaking his head dismissively.

“I have managed to secure those research papers you boys were looking for. Took a bit of negotiating, but Russia eventually caved.”

Stacker pulls a file from beneath his arm. Dudley is running circles around his feet and playfully nipping at his shoes, leaping back after each attack before ducking in quickly again. One of these forward pounces is unfortunately timed as Stacker takes a step forward. Dudley's paw is momentarily caught beneath his shoe and he lets out a series of high, frantic yelps.

They both take a shocked, angry intake of breath at the same time. Newt drops the scalpel he is holding. It lands with a clatter against the table top. In the same moment, Hermann is instantly on his feet, wobbling slightly without his stick. They are both facing Stacker, bodies tense and defensive. With a few final whimpering cries, Dudley retreats back to Newt. He is quickly scooped into his arms and clasped firmly to his chest. Stacker is frozen beneath the cold stares of the pair, awkwardly holding the file in front of him like an offering. This kind of shit was not in his job description.

“An accident,” he finally says, as way of indirect apology, if only because Newt looks like he is going to reach for the scalpel again at any second.

“Poor baby!” It is almost a wail, and Dudley is held closer to his chest, hand cupping his head. “Did that bad man stand on your little paw? Let me see. Oh, my poor boy.”

Stacker is at a loss for how to respond to this ridiculous display. He looks towards Hermann for support, but Hermann only stares back at him, stony faced. With a heavy sigh, he silently abandons the file on the nearest counter and retreats, muttering about 'dogs all over the place'.

“My beautiful baby. You're all better now, aren't you? Oh yes, you are! Ohyesyouare! That's my good boy.” Newt presses a kiss to Dudley's wrinkly head before gently setting him down on the ground again. Dudley runs in an excited circle around Newt's feet, evidently recovered from his brief trauma, before waddling back to his chew toy.

Before Hermann has a chance to lower himself back into his seat, Newt's eyes are on him.

“I thought you didn't like Dudley.”

“Shut up.”

This time he catches the smile that curls the side of Newt's mouth, soft and affectionate.


End file.
